Much of the Western dance world prizes youth. But some dance traditions, including classical Indian dance, flamenco, and tap, value the gifts of the older dancer. Unlike contemporary dance and ballet, which tend to prioritize skills that erode as we age—extreme flexibility, buoyant jumps—these practices enlist skill sets that develop and deepen over time. And their communities support long performing and teaching careers.

A feast of Forsythe, a surfeit of Dorrance Dance, a challenge to how we perceive refugees. Our editors’ performance picks this month run the gamut. Boston’s Mixtape Master BOSTON Halfway into his five-year partnership with Boston Ballet, William Forsythe is gifting East Coast audiences with his first new work for an American company since 1992. […]